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Senior Writer- Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer. He has been with ESPN since 2013, covering everything from AFL to Formula One, basketball to boxing, and tennis, both in Australia and around the world.
SYDNEY -- After a six-year absence, UFC returned to Sydney for another stacked card of ANZ fighters for UFC 293, headlined by middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. All in all, nine antipodean fighters stepped into the Octagon at Qudos Bank Arena. Here's how we ranked their performances.
9. Shane Young (NZ) def. by Gabriel Miranda
Young's future in the UFC is at a serious crossroads after lasting just 59 seconds against Gabriel Miranda and slumping to his fourth straight loss. The New Zealander failed to make weight, measuring 3.75 pounds over the featherweight limit, though Miranda agreed for the fight to go ahead at catchweight. Young landed one right jab before Miranda took complete control, taking him to the ground and forcing him into submission. Young's winless streak in the UFC now extends over four and a half years.
8. Mike Mathetha (NZ) def. by Charlie Radtke
City Kickboxing product Mike Mathetha slipped to an 0-3 record after a unanimous 29-27 defeat at the hands of American welterweight Charles Radtke. After surviving a first round takedown, Mathetha was rocked by Radtke in the second, and spent much of the fight pinned against the cage. The CKB fighter had a point docked in the final round following a third low blow on the American, who was rarely troubled, either by Mathetha or the boos that rained down on him from the crowd.
7. Israel Adesanya (NZ) def. by Sean Strickland
When Israel Adesanya hit the canvas in the final minute of round one, there was an audible gasp around Qudos Bank Arena. A real, 'is this actually happening' moment. It was a moment that set the tone for the main event, as a strangely passive Adesanya was dominated by the new main man at middleweight Sean Strickland. The American was relentless in coming forward, working off his jab, making the cage as small as possible. Strickland outfought Adesanya, leaving the Stylebender to rely on leg kicks to counter, but in reality he had no answers. The enduring image will be from the last few seconds of the fight, Izzy's face bloodied, mouth open. Strickland barely a graze on his face, screaming in delight knowing the fight was won. For Adesanya, the fighter he demanded to face on this card, had left with his belt. Much to ponder for The Last Stylebender.
6. Tai Tuivasa (AUS) def. by Alexander Volkov
The co-main headliner had the energy of a packed Qudos Bank Arena on his side, but it was nowhere near enough for Tai Tuivasa who was dominated by Alexander Volkov. Picked off at will by the Russian, Bam Bam was left bloodied after round one, unable to get inside Volkov. Tuivasa tried to turn the fight into a brawl in round two, following up leg kicks with a flurry of punches, but Volkov was a class apart, downing the Aussie twice and winning in the dying seconds of the round by submission. The defeat, Tuivasa's third in the last 12 months, may well end the heavyweight's run on the top of UFC cards.
5. Jamie Mullarkey (AUS) def. John Makdessi
Even the crowd appeared stunned when Mullarkey earned a unanimous decision over MMA veteran John Makdessi. The Australian looked tentative early in the pair's lightweight battle, and took the better part of four minutes to land his first head shot. Instead, it was Makdessi who was connecting with the cleaner blows throughout the 15-minute fight, including a brutal right punch which knocked Mullarkey down in the final seconds of round two. The judges all saw it 29-28, which is what matters, but you have to feel it's somewhat of a missed opportunity for Mullarkey, who really should have produced a stronger performance against the 38-year-old.
4 Jack Jenkins (AUS) def. by Chepe Mariscal
Facing Chepe Mariscal, the previously undefeated Jenkins started impressively in a composed first round, picking his shots and forcing the pace. But in a second round that turned into a grappling contest, Jenkins ran into serious trouble. Mariscal had the Victorian in a clinch, swept his leg, whilst tossing him across his body. The move sent Jenkins to the floor, his arm trapped by Mariscal dislocating his elbow in the process, bringing the fight to an end by verbal submission. A disappointing night, but one unlikely to impact Jenkins' immediate future as a fighter of promise, given the nature of the submission.
3. Justin Tafa (NZ) def. Austen Lane
Clinical. There's no other way to sum up Tafa's 90-second demolition of Lane, a former NFL tight-end. UFC 293 marked the second time the pair of heavyweights had stepped into the Octagon together, following a no contest in Jacksonville earlier in the year, and Tafa made his intentions known from the beginning. He connected with several punches before ending the contest with a swinging left which struck Lane flush on the jaw, dropping him to the ground. The result sees the 29-year-old from Auckland extended his unbeaten run to four fights
2. Tyson Pedro (AUS) def. Anton Turkalj
After a lacklustre performance and loss in Perth in February, the popular Pedro needed to make a statement. Now training with CKB and back on home turf in Western Sydney, he did exactly that, delivering "The Pleasure Man", Anton Turkalj, a whole lot of pain. Pedro was supreme raining down blows on the Swede, his right hand doing the damage flooring Turkalj, forcing referee Marc Goddard to step in sending the crowd into raptures with a first round stoppage, to improve his UFC record to 6-4. Pedro has won three of his last four, all by way of first round knockout.
1. Carlos Ulberg (NZ) def. Da Woon Jung
Ulberg produced a statement performance against Da Woon Jung, one which extended his UFC win streak to a light heavyweight division-best five fights. The Auckland native did the bulk of his work with the left jab, leaving Jung a bloody mess by the time he tapped out with 11 seconds remaining on the clock. Ulberg looked to have the fight won in the opening round after he stepped forward and knocked his opponent down with a flurry of jabs, but Jung was able to recover and carry on. However, he wasn't as successful the second time around after Ulberg ripped him to the deck and laid a serious of brutal blows to the head. It was a performance from Ulberg which proves he's more than worthy of a main card appearance in the near future.